[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] Attention is focused on whether the upcoming Korea-China foreign ministers' meeting, scheduled to be held in China on the 9th, will serve as an opportunity for the development of bilateral relations.
At this meeting, sensitive issues between the two countries such as the South Korea-U.S. THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) 3-No's stance and the semiconductor alliance will be discussed. Depending on the negotiation proposals presented by both governments, it is expected to become a variable in bilateral relations.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 7th, Minister Park Jin will visit China from the 8th to the 10th at the invitation of Wang Yi, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister, and hold the Korea-China foreign ministers' meeting in Qingdao, Shandong Province with Minister Wang.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated regarding the agenda of this meeting, "The ministers are scheduled to discuss Korea-China relations, the Korean Peninsula, regional and international issues, and other mutual interests."
The two ministers previously held a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, on the 7th of last month, so this will be their first face-to-face meeting in about a month.
The biggest point of interest is whether the THAAD issue will be addressed at this meeting. This is because recent clashes between the two countries over the THAAD 3-No's stance have resurfaced.
On the 25th of last month, during a parliamentary question session, Minister Park responded to a question from Yoon Sang-hyun, a member of the People Power Party, asking, "If North Korea's nuclear capabilities become more advanced, should the 3-No policy be abandoned?" by saying, "The 3-No policy is not something we promised or agreed upon with China; I understand it was an explanation of our position."
In response, the Chinese government protested. At a regular briefing on the 27th of last month, Chinese spokesperson Zhao Lijian said, "South Korea expressed a courteous stance on the THAAD issue in 2017," adding, "This played a decisive role in enhancing mutual trust and deepening cooperation," indirectly pressuring the South Korean government to maintain the THAAD 3-No's stance.
It is highly likely that similar pressuring remarks will be made by both South Korea and China during this meeting as well.
The semiconductor supply chain issue is also expected to be discussed at the Korea-China foreign ministers' meeting. As the South Korean government continues to deliberate on joining the U.S.-led semiconductor supply chain dialogue, known as Chip 4, the Chinese side is expected to mention this and urge non-participation.
Minister Park is expected to emphasize that Chip 4 is not aimed at China.
The conflict between the U.S. and China surrounding recent U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan and the resulting regional tensions cannot be ruled out as topics for discussion at the Korea-China meeting.
Minister Park is expected to keep a distance to avoid provoking the Chinese government. Regarding the Taiwan Strait issue, it is anticipated that he will only mention the importance of stability and peace in the Taiwan Strait and express support for the peaceful development of cross-strait relations.
In diplomatic circles, there is an expectation that this meeting will serve as an important opportunity to gauge the future direction of bilateral relations as the Yoon Suk-yeol administration seeks to reset relations with China based on mutual respect.
An official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "This visit to China comes about a month after the first face-to-face meeting at the G20 foreign ministers' meeting," adding, "Ahead of the 30th anniversary of Korea-China diplomatic relations, it is expected to serve as an opportunity to reflect on its significance and explore future development directions for bilateral relations."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
